The present disclosure relates to a method for remanufacturing toner cartridges.
In the well-known process of electrophotographic printing, the charge retentive surface, typically known as a photoreceptor, is electrostatically charged, and then exposed to a light pattern of an original image to selectively discharge the surface in accordance therewith. The resulting pattern of charged and discharged areas on the photoreceptor form an electrostatic charge pattern, known as a latent image, conforming to the original image. The latent image is developed by contacting it with a finely divided electrostatically attractable powder known as “toner.” Toner is held on the image areas by the electrostatic charge on the photoreceptor surface. Thus, a toner image is produced in conformity with a light image of the original being reproduced. The toner image may then be transferred to a substrate or support member (e.g., paper), and the image affixed thereto to form a permanent record of the image to be reproduced. Subsequent to development, excess toner left on the charge retentive surface is cleaned from the surface. The process is useful for light lens copying from an original or printing electronically generated or stored originals such as with a raster output scanner (ROS), where a charged surface may be imagewise discharged in a variety of ways.
In a printer, as the toner within the developer material is transferred to the photoreceptor and eventually to the copy paper, this used toner must be replaced. The printer thus includes a container or cartridge from which fresh toner is dispensed into the machine. To provide for a small, compact cartridge and to provide for a cartridge in which the cartridge may be easily removed, the cartridge typically has a compact shape.
Service costs represent a significant portion of the cost associated with operating a printing machine. Certain components represent those most likely to require service. By providing a method of easily replacing those certain components, the operator may replace those components himself, avoiding service technician labor costs.
These certain components are consolidated within a housing that may be easily replaced by the customer. This housing is typically called a customer replaceable unit (CRU). Typically included in a CRU are toner, a cleaning blade, the charging device (a corotron or a bias charge roll), and the photoreceptor.
A CRU is changed several times during the life of a copy machine. While a few of the components within a CRU are consumed during the life of the CRU many of the components may be reused. Therefore, the CRU is now being frequently remanufactured rather than being replaced. The remanufacturing includes refilling the CRU with new toner and inspecting all components that wear. Worn components are replaced.